Feed the Family in Body, Mind, Heart & Soul During COVID-19

If you’re a parent, then you’re probably being bombarded with information from many sources about things you can do at home to entertain and educate your children, and so many other ideas. In this post I want to encourage you in each of the 4 main areas of my blog: body, mind, heart & soul. I’m not trying to add to the noise but help you process everything that’s coming at you, during COVID-19 and work out what’s best for you and your family.

There is an overwhelming urge to try and do it all and be all for your children. You may be trying to work from home, while trying to home school your children, to cook & clean as per normal and to worry about your families faith. It’s impossible to do it all but you are the best person to lead your family. You are the greatest influence on your children always. So what it is important for you and your family at this time?

What Values are important for my family?

We all pass on faith and values to our children, whether we are intentional about it or not. I’ve written about this before but it’s useful to think about what values you want your children to have. How can you still be working on those values now?

Many of these values will be passed on by your kids seeing you act out these values or incorporate them into your everyday routines. You don’t need a separate time to teach values, it happens as you go about your life but you can do it intentionally.

We also are holistic beings and can’t necessarily compartmentalize each aspect of our lives. Even though I often post in one of 4 areas, there is often overlap. You can very much be teaching or doing educational activities as you do other things, such as whilst you cook or around the dinner table at meal times. The same goes for other areas of your life as well.

Body

Nutrition

No doubt you want your children to have a healthy balanced diet. However don’t stress if you find yourself buying more take-away or freezer meals. Do what works for you.

You can get your children involved with the preparation of food. This may not only mean they try what they’ve helped make, but can also help with learning as well. There are lots of skills involved in cooking from reading/following instructions to measuring ingredients. By involving them in the cooking you are teaching them and helping them develop real life skills.

Here are some links to feed the body:

• 10 meals to make in under 40 minutes
• menu ideas
• gluten and dairy free chocolate brownies
• 10 Super Foods to Boost Your Daily Productivity & Health

Exercise

Fortunately we are still able to go outside and exercise. This could be a great time to teach your children the value of exercise by walking, jogging or riding as a family. What ways are you exercising with your family?

Or perhaps you have the chance to exercise without your children. This could create some space for you as well as provide a role model of exercise for your children.

Mind

If your children are learning at home for the foreseeable future they will be given materials from their schools and education departments are providing many resources. Do what you can but don’t stress. Your children are always learning whether it’s formally or informally? What are you already doing that has a learning component? How can you add learning into daily routines? Other than the cooking example given above. Can your child help write the shopping list? Is your child keeping a diary of this unusual time?

Here a few links with ideas to feed the mind:

• card games to play with children
• 100+ Free Indoor and Outdoor Activities and educational resources to entertain the kids at home.
• Resources for Distance/home learning curated by a teacher

Heart

While it can be great to be spending more time with your family, it can also lead to more tension & frustration. While it can be hard to adjust to a new family rhythm, an article from Parent Cue has ideas for doing that around the 4 distinct times: meal time, drive time (or walking around the neighbourhood), bedtime and morning time.

Here a few other ideas for maintaining family relationships:

• 6 Strategies for Parenting During the COVID-19 Process
• The Power of Atmosphere and How to Harness it At Your Place
• 6 Ways COVID-19 Can Bring Families Together, If We Let It

Soul

There have been a myriad of resources produced, for faith at home, particularly since many of us have been isolated at home. Just before Australia went into stricter isolation, I had shared a post about faith at home resources. Since then there have been many more resources added.

Before listing some potentially useful resources I want to share a little of what I shared at the Family Faith Formation Workshop that I was able to lead the Sunday before our churches were closed. This is based on what Christina Embree shares on her Refocus blog and what I’ve heard her talk about in a workshop.

She talks about the 4 everyday moments from Duet 6:7 where we are instructed to talk to children about God. Which happen to be the same 4 distinct times from the Parent Cue post, I mention in the Heart section of this post. I particularly like the message version which says:

Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night.

Dueteronomy 6:7 The Message

So it’s pretty much saying talk about God or faith and this way of life as you go about your daily life. So look at those 4 moments: sit at home, walk along the road, lie down & get up. What does that look right now for your family, without worrying about adding any sort of faith element?

When are you sitting at home together as a family? Is it when your having some of your meals or when your watching a movie together? I’m sure your sitting at home a lot, but it may not be together, so focus on the times your together?

When are you “walking along the road” as a family? As we’re not going out and about as much. The main time you might be “walking along the road” is when you’re going for a walk or ride to get your children out of the house.

What are your bedtime routines? These may not have changed too much since we been self-isolating but what are your bedtime routines with your children?

What is your morning routine? Now that you’re not necessarily rushing out the door but you still need to get started on work or school what do your morning routines look like?

After you’ve thought about these 4 moments then you can choose one thing you do in one of these moments. Then ask how can I add a faith element to it?

Some examples: Can you share highs & lows of the day and pray for each other at dinner time. Can you add a faith element to family exercise such as using Family.Fit? Is there a simple prayer or blessing you can use with your children at bedtime? Can you pray for each other at breakfast or leave an encouraging message on the mirror for when children clean their teeth?

After you’ve thought about which of these moments and routines you might like to add a faith element to then you can look for other ideas, or use other ideas that you’ve seen.

• Family Worship Plans for a season of COVID-19
• How to Have Church as a Family This Sunday
• Engage At Home: Daily Family Prayer and Worship Activities
• Top 5: Faith Resources for Households
• ‘Stuck at Home’: Cecil the Lost Sheep Author Reads & Draws (Each day for 14 Days Andrew McDonough is reading one of his Lost Sheep books and showing how to draw a character from the book.)
• Biblical Boredom Busters: 30 Fun Bible Activities for Kids when “There’s Nothing to do”

Remember:

• You are the best parent for your child/children.
• You are doing a great job.
• Look after yourself so that you can look after your children.
• All parents make mistakes. Ask for and accept forgiveness.
• Think about what you are already doing and tweak/add changes slowly as you work out what’s best for your family.

If you’re still looking for ideas or resources please contact me or let me know in the comments. I’ve collated a number of resources which I’ll continue to add too and I’m happy to share, what I’ve found with others. If you’ve thought of or found any great ideas that you’re using please let me know.